Posted by Mr. Cranky
a resident of Kottinger Ranch
on Feb 26, 2013 at 12:53 pm

Closing the tower wouldn't mean closing the airport - it just means it would be an "uncontrolled airport" like lots and lots of other airports throughout the world. The amount of traffic wouldn't change noticeably. Note that Livermore already closes at night, and planes still land and takeoff at night.

Having said that, this is such BS - scare tactics is all this is. The Livermore airport is important for many reasons and is one of the busiest in the country for general aviation. They're not going to close it.

Posted by local
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 26, 2013 at 4:38 pm

Obama is just like all politicians. When you want more money you have police, fire, and teachers standing behind you and say they are all going to be laid off unless you give more money.

They only think about cutting the things that matter to everybody instead of what a company would do. A company would have to prioritize and cut the lowest priority items and/or the amount of support for a specific thing but they would never cut their own legs off. Just another example that the politicians do not care about us.

And Obama saying that the republicans refuse to tax the "wealthy". Hello? The republicans just passed a tax hike to the wealthy. Obama wants you to forget that it was just done. That line is getting REAL old. I am disappointed in the class warfare tactics of our president.

The sequester program cuts were agreed upon by the democrats also. Since the democrats have the majority, if the cuts go through, it is more the democrats fault than the republicans. Also, when you have a majority and need just a few more votes, you can usually do some minimal compromising to get something passed. The democrats, including the president, are not even trying to get something to pass.

So many people are buying into Obama's scare tactics as he continues his political campaigning on the road rather than actually sitting down with both parties and working out a true, workable plan. It's worth noting that Obama was determined not to face another debt-limit increase before his re-election campaign. He scuttled a bipartisan agreement prior to the election and instead proposed a "sequester." The sequester was initially proposed as a deal so bad that Republicans and Democrats would have to come up with something better. But as deadlines have passed, neither side has provided an alternative that is acceptable to the other. Obama can't be bothered to actually spend a few hours working out a sensible sequester plan with the Republicans. Apparently it's more important to keep on bashing the Republicans if the sequestration goes through as planned.

The Wall Street Journal itself weighed in in an editorial, referring to a recent White House event that Obama hosted, saying that "Americans can expect more such melodrama in the coming days."

Posted by Liberty Crusader
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 26, 2013 at 6:59 pm

I'm tickled pink. When the sequester was agreed upon - Obama designed it so that you'd have to be stark raving mad to succumb to it - Boehner could barely contain himself while announcing that he got 98% of what he wanted from the negotiations with the Holy One, Barack Hussien Obama.

So now the sequester is going to happen. A few cutbacks here, some longer lines there, some govt worker and ship builder furloughs and lay-offs - just the kinds of things we need. You know, take more money out of people's hands so they have less to spend. Okay, the recovery might sputter for another few years, but if we do our best to convince the people that it's all the Holy One's fault, then maybe we'll have a chance in future elections. After all, we've gotta do something to turn the people against Democrats, even if it means a lot of families aren't going to get their foodstamps.

Maybe people will learn how to get a job. There's always something available. I haven't seen anyone on the street attempt to squeegy-wipe my windshield since the Bush administration. We'll be fine everyone. Not to worry!

Posted by Real Anon
a resident of Canyon Creek
on Feb 26, 2013 at 11:35 pm

As someone pointed out - scare tactics. Of all the controlled airports in the country they want to cut the staff from the second busiest GA (General Aviation) airfield in the country. There are literally 200 other airfields with less traffic that they could pick from, without touching any of the top 100 airports, yet they go up to number 2. That tells this crap is purely political. FAA union reps are probably slathering over the fat raises they will get in their next contract already. I tell you we need a guy like Reagan to fire them all again so they can finally learn the lesson they are public servants, not royalty, with their never-ending pensions and COLA BS.

Posted by Arroyo
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2013 at 8:43 am

What happened to old-time journalism? The current crop seems to have been reduced to reading press releases from the White House.

Can't these "journalists" see through this charade and stop simply reading the script they've been provided? The public seems to realize what the media seems to have a problem comprehending -- that this is yet another "catastrophe" created and overly dramatized by our commander-in-chief.

Bob Woodward recognized what is going on and had the audacity to call it correctly. I suspect he's no longer on the Obama Christmas Card list.

Posted by Livermore Lab
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2013 at 10:02 am

Scary days at Livermore Lab. A lot of people are facing work furloughs. Military budget for non-military workers will be cut. That is not a Democrat scare tactic. Majority of DC voted for this sequester.

Let me see if I have this right, future spending will go up, but not as fast, slowing it down by 2.5 percent right. And that is going to cause all these disruptions. Are you serious, nothing is going to happen. It's all show to scare the people. Nothing more. Spending should be cut by 30 percent, starting with all the government employees pay.